Wisdom teeth can become infected when the eruption of the wisdom tooth is blocked by the tooth in front of it or when food and plaque trap between the wisdom tooth and its overlying gum. Sometimes patients feel intense pain and need to seek emergency dental treatment ASAP.
In instances when the tooth struggles to emerge, pressure may be exerted on nearby areas. This can cause them to become extremely sensitive. Impacted wisdom teeth can also leave the gum tissue feeling tender and often lead to an aching jaw.
When a wisdom tooth decays, toothache can become an issue, which can worsen if left untreated.
Infection that forms around a partially erupted wisdom tooth is known as pericoronitis. Symptoms of pericoronitis can present as inflamed and sore gum tissue, bad breath and an unpleasant taste in the mouth. If left untreated, pericoronitis can lead to the development of a painful abscess.
As part of the treatment for infected wisdom teeth, the emergency dentist will initially clean and remove the plaque, calculus, and other debris that has collected under the gum tissue, around the wisdom teeth, and the surrounding areas of the adjacent teeth. Often antibiotics are prescribed if there is spreading infection present. Sometimes when the infection is very severe and mouth opening is limited, antibiotics are prescribed first followed by cleaning of the wisdom tooth after a few days, when the infection has subsided and mouth opening has improved.
For the exact identification of the wisdom tooth relative to surrounding nerves, you may need a 3D CBCT Scan, which if required we can carry out for you on-site. Where the wisdom tooth is found to be very close to the neighbouring nerve tissue, coronectomy is usually the best treatment.
If pericoronitis persists or repeats, then the wisdom tooth is removed to prevent any further infection developing. Wisdom tooth extractions are usually carried out under local anaesthetic and we can also provide IV Sedation if necessary.
At Pearl dental clinic, we have provided a same day wisdom tooth extraction service since 2007. This private service is available both to patients registered with the practice and to new patients. You can book dental appointments online 24 hours a day and if necessary have a wisdom tooth removed on the same day basis.
Pearl Dental Clinic is open 7 days a week from 9am-10pm. You can book a wisdom tooth consultation by calling us on 0208 547 9997 or by emailing us or book an appointment online (available 24 hours/day).
